message

- puts its arguments on FMLI message line

Synopsis

message [-t] [-b [num]] [-o] [-w] [string]

message [-f] [-b [num]] [-o] [-w] [string]

message [-p] [-b [num]] [-o] [-w] [string]

Description

The message command puts string out on the FMLI message line. If
there is no string, the stdin input to message will be used. The
output of message has a duration (length of time it remains on
the message line). The default duration is "transient": it or one of
two other durations can be requested with the mutually-exclusive options below.

Messages displayed with message-p will replace (change the value of) any
message currently displayed or stored via use of the permanentmsg descriptor. Likewise, message-f will replace any message currently displayed or stored via use of
the framemsg descriptor. If more than one message in a frame definition file
is specified with the -p option, the last one specified will be
the permanent duration message.

The string argument should always be the last argument.

Options

-t

Explicitly defines a message to have transient duration. Transient messages remain on the message line only until the user presses another key or a CHECKWORLD occurs. The descriptors itemmsg , fieldmsg , invalidmsg , choicemsg , the default-if-not-defined value of oninterrupt , and FMLI generated error messages (that is, from syntax errors) also output transient duration messages. Transient messages take precedence over both frame messages and permanent messages.

-f

Defines a message to have "frame" duration. Frame messages remain on the message line as long as the frame in which they are defined is current. The descriptor framemsg also outputs a frame duration message. Frame messages take precedence over permanent messages.

-p

Defines a message to have "permanent" duration. Permanent messages remain on the message line for the length of the FMLI session, unless explicitly replaced by another permanent message or temporarily superseded by a transient message or frame message. A permanent message is not affected by navigating away from, or by closing, the frame which generated the permanent message. The descriptor permanentmsg also outputs a permanent duration message.

-b[num]

Rings the terminal bell num times, where num is an integer from 1 to 10. The default value is 1. If the terminal has no bell, the screen will flash num times instead, if possible.

-o

Forces message to duplicate its message to stdout.

-w

Turns on the working indicator.

Examples

Example 1 A sample output of message on the message line:

When a value entered in a field is invalid, ring the bell
3 times and then display Invalid Entry: Try again! on the message line:

invalidmsg=`message -b 3 "Invalid Entry: Try again!"`

Display a message that tells the user what is being done:

done=`message EDITOR has been set in your environment` close

Display a message on the message line and stdout for each field
in a form (a pseudo-"field duration" message).

fieldmsg="`message -o -f "Enter a filename."`"

Display a blank transient message (effect is to "remove" a permanent or
frame duration message).

done=`message ""` nop

Attributes

See Also

Notes

If message is coded more than once on a single line, it
may appear that only the right-most instance is interpreted and displayed. Use
sleep(1) between uses of message in this case, to display multiple
messages.

message -f should not be used in a stand-alone backquoted expression or with
the init descriptor because the frame is not yet current when these
are evaluated.

In cases where `message -f "string"` is part of a stand-alone backquoted expression, the context
for evaluation of the expression is the previously current frame. The previously current
frame can be the frame that issued the open command for the
frame containing the backquoted expression, or it can be a frame given as
an argument when fmli was invoked. That is, the previously current frame
is the one whose frame message will be modified.

Permanent duration messages are displayed when the user navigates to the command
line.